Economy in take-off position third time in history: Ahsan

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal said on Tuesday that Pakistan’s economy is in a take-off position the third time in its history.

Addressing a press conference here, he highlighted PML-N’s performance in the last five years as he said that energy, economy, education and extremism were major issues in 2013. "Economy grew the most in 13 years during our five-year tenure and we produced additional 10,000MW of electricity and broke the backbone of terrorism," he said adding the PML-N fulfilled all the promises made with people.

"Today, Pakistan is strong and secure as compared to 2013 as terrorism has been rooted out and the energy crisis is over,” he said. Talking on his favourite subject, he said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a game-changer and they turned that dream into reality in three years. Ahsan Iqbal said that three major parties remained in the government in three provinces for the last five years asking people to visit Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar for a day each and decide for themselves which party delivered during the last five years.

He said while questioning authenticity of the 100-day plan said that Imran Khan first should give account of five-year performance of his KP government. He said that as the country entered the next electoral phase, the issue was not of 100 days but the next 1,825 days.

Ahsan said the 100-day plan was a laughing stock saying that doing copy of some other ambitious plans require wisdom which they lack. He said that one was a presentation party and the other was a performance party saying that people’s confidence could not be won through presentations but through performance adding that the PTI leadership was mocking the people.

He recalled that the PTI had also given 90 days plan when its government took over in 2013 but the same was never materialised. Ahsan Iqbal also dubbed Imran Khan a Nato commander who takes no action but speaks only. “Imran is a Nato commander with no action and talk only,” he said adding that Imran Khan should also tell the people as to what his government did in five years. He said that the nation will decide in the upcoming general elections which party performed in the last five years.